Ohio and other parts of the nation may be frozen, but an expert says the world is still warming.

Lonnie Thompson, an Ohio State University professor who has studied the effects of climate on glaciers around the globe, said public opinion on climate change tends to shift in response to cold weather patterns.

"We have a tendency to say, 'Well, if it's cold here; the world must be getting colder.' Well, this is not true," he said. "We live on a huge planet. It's a complex system, and that natural variability that's always been with us continues, even though the longer-term trend is toward warming."

A sergeant in the Village of Genoa Police Department who mocked a neighboring police chief in Facebook post cartoons has been disciplined for his actions.

Sgt. Todd Mocniak took down the Facebook posts referencing Clay Township Police Chief Terry Mitchell and had “corrective counseling” in a one-on-one session with Chief Bob Bratton in early December, the chief said. Clay Township borders part of Genoa and the departments regularly assist one another with mutual aid calls.

Northwood officials are continuing to discuss the possibility of being part of a regional dispatch center with other communities in Wood County, but nothing yet has been decided.

Lake Township Police Chief Mark Hummer recently gave a presentation on the topic to Northwood City Council. Hummer, who is leading the effort, has made similar presentations to Lake Township, Walbridge and Rossford, which would also be part of the center.

Oregon Mayor Mike Seferian and Councilman Terry Reeves, chairman of Oregon’s Recreation and Parks Committee, last summer told the president of the James “Wes” Hancock Senior Center that accurate information on a proposed 0.5-mill senior services levy should be provided to voters to increase chances of getting it passed.

Seferian and Reeves told Bob Marquette, president of the center, that voters don’t like to be “duped.”

An upgrade in the village administration’s telephone system is almost complete in Genoa.

The communications update was necessary given the old system was nearly 15 years old, administrator Kevin Gladden said.

Liberty Consulting, also known as ISSO, is the company charged with handling the changeover. The estimated cost is about $12,000 but the final bill won’t be issued until the project is finished in the next few weeks, according to Chuck Brinkman, village fiscal officer.